(CNN) - Rick Santorum's presidential campaign said Wednesday they've raised $3 million in the week since the former senator from Pennsylvania's strong second place finish in the Iowa caucuses.

Santorum, once a long shot in the race for the GOP nomination, lost to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by just eight votes last week. Since then his campaign says Santorum's fundraising has soared.– Follow the Ticker on Twitter: @PoliticalTicker

John Brabender, a top consultant to the Santorum campaign, told CNN that they'll spend a minimum of $1.5 million to run ads in South Carolina, the next state to vote in the primary and caucus calendar. The Palmetto State holds its primary on January 21.

Brabender said the campaign purposely didn't spend a dime to run commercials on broadcast TV in New Hampshire. The Granite State was home field advantage for Romney, who easily won Tuesday's primary in New Hampshire. Santorum and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich each finished with around 10% of the vote.

Brabender said the move not to spend money on broadcast TV ads in New Hampshire means they have more ammunition to use in South Carolina, which thanks to its more conservative Republican electorate, is a more hospitable state for Santorum.

soundoff(12 Responses)

in a state that produced the likes of Jim DeMint and Joe (YOU LIE) Wilson, I have a feeling that Rick Santorum should do pretty well down there.

January 11, 2012 11:28 am at 11:28 am |

willie floyd

HORSE-Unfortunately I have to agree with you. He is of the same caliber as the aforementioned-and that isn't good. Hopefully he will be stopped in FL. Wilson is exactly why I am now a Dem. rather than an Indep.

January 11, 2012 11:42 am at 11:42 am |

Sniffit

Boy he must be super serious...just look at that confident and assertive speaking fist he's making. Are you not mesmerized and convinced to believe everything thing he says when you look upon it?

January 11, 2012 11:44 am at 11:44 am |

Truth and Nothing But the Truth

Problem is Santorum just does not have the national campaign organization that Romney has. He might make a great VP though.

As for Joe Wilson, his "You Lie!" statement to Obama turned out to be the most accurat, prophetic statement ever made in Congress. Obama has done nothing but lie AND FAIL for 3 years going on four. He should get the Medal of Freedom for trying and warn the country about Obama. Another Paul Revere!

January 11, 2012 11:50 am at 11:50 am |

Rudy NYC

HORSE – Ron Paul comes from that same bakery shop, too. Don't forget about the him, the man who delivered the keynote address at the 50th anniversary dinner for John Birch Society.

January 11, 2012 11:52 am at 11:52 am |

V in Chicago

I love how this guys "Christian Values" shows themselves when he is in attack mode. He's "convenient" christian stance only seems to be out front when he is in front of a crowd of evangelicals. Get him is front of a different, diverse crowd and you can see the real Rick Santorum. He's a moron and dumb as a rock if he thinks he has any chance to win this nomination. Even if eveyone else dropped out (the only way he would win) and he did get the nomination, Obama would wipe the floor with him in any debate. Good Grief Rick, go home already!

January 11, 2012 11:52 am at 11:52 am |

NVa Native

Remember Terri Shivo? If not google it.
All of the Repubs are for less government "interference" unless you're talking about their passion for social engineering or hatred for personal freedoms. Except for Ron Paul who is good on most things – but then he slips away into land of the “how it used to be” mythology.

January 11, 2012 11:54 am at 11:54 am |

V in Chicago

Truth and Nothing But – you should stop watching FOX News. You are sounding delusional, just like the rest of the sheep lured in by the radical right.

"Obama has done nothing but lie AND FAIL for 3 years going on four."

Seriously? You call getting out of Iraq, finally killing Bin Laden, aiding in the ousting of not one but two dictators, passing the health care reform and putting restraints on the Wall Street Thugs who robbed us blind as nothing, then you defintely need to get out more and get better informed.

January 11, 2012 11:58 am at 11:58 am |

Truth and Nothing But the Truth

V in Chicago
Seriously? You call getting out of Iraq, finally killing Bin Laden, aiding in the ousting of not one but two dictators, passing the health care reform and putting restraints on the Wall Street Thugs who robbed us blind as nothing, then you defintely need to get out more and get better informed
=========================================================================================
You're joking right??? Bush signed the agreement ot get out of Iraq, NOT OBAMA. Get a clue. Navy SEALS killed bin Laden and Obama signed off on a no-brainer operation. And I didn't know that ousting dictators was a presidential duty under our Constitution? Healthcare reform? You mean the unconstituional mess he signed that over 60% of Americans want repealed? And then "wall Street Reform" that totally ignored the actual CAUSE of the problems, FANNIE MAE and FREDDIE MAC! Those have been the ONLY indictments Obama could scrap up in 3 years, yet NO action has been taken there, except to pour hundreds of billions of our tax dollars to prop them up.

Again, Obama, four years of an empty suited, lead from behind failure. America MUST elect Romney because 4 more years of this nightmare and we're toast.

January 11, 2012 12:12 pm at 12:12 pm |

Thomas

Rick Santorum / Rick Perry 2012

GOD / GUNS / GAS / CLEAN COAL

January 11, 2012 12:31 pm at 12:31 pm |

once upon a horse

@ Rudy NYC
thanks I was not aware of Ron Paul's ties to SC always think of him only being here in Texas. But in a pinch I would take him over the previous two I mentioned. The Old South is not a place for tolerance and I can see few as intolerant as Santorum nad Newt so they fit in well with the mind set.
and as for the snippet from "Truth" about Joe Wilson....the BIGGEST lie I can recall inresent times was "THERE ARE WMDs in Iraq" and that lie cost us thousands of lives so I wouldn't go there if I were you!

January 11, 2012 12:34 pm at 12:34 pm |

Kk

To Vin Chicago: I agree what you said about FOX News and Obama's accomplishments however I disgree with your comments about Wall Street. I agree Wall Street should take major part of responsiblities of putting some Indivdules losing their retirement, house, job... however no one has forced those Indivdules where to invest their retirement money or to buy the house they know they cannot affort... those indivdules should equally take some responsiblities of their own choice.